I agree, we wouldnt loose any rights.... marriage, before God only, (or whatever you may believe) hospitalization, power of attorney and patient
privelage, thats according to law since Jan. 2011... death you can sign over benefits to your neighbor so why not the person you live with?

anyone can pay to bury you, and you can have a will for anything you think family might fight...

Nah, the debate would hardly die over that. As far as gays are concerned, it goes much deeper than taxes etc.

How much deeper?

What else do they expect to gain from a State permitted marriage that they can't get from just being together?

It really doesn't matter to them. It's like someone else said, when blacks were finally allowed to ride busses, they still had to ride in the back.
Allowed, equal, but still segregated and separate. I can't blame them, even while being gay myself, I always thought (and still do) think of it as a
perk that no one expects me to get married or, God forbid, have kids! I feel LUCKY!

A marriage license has nothing to do with religion. It is provided by the state. If you think religion and marriage are intertwined then that is your
choice. You can get married in a court house with zero God involved.

So even if you have the same rights, y'all will just keep bickering with them over termonology that they hold dear?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!! 100%

No 2nd class citizen. No Separate but Equal.

NEVER!

Didn't need to interpret it, you said it plainly. Even if they have the same right under a civil union, you will continue to fight based on what
it's called.

What do you think the people who are against gay marriage are fighting for? They are maybe willing to SETTLE for gays having to stick with civil union
because what it's CALLED is just as important to them.

The way people are trying to boil it all down to one thing doesn't make sense. Religion, state, tax perks, "what it's called," equal rights. It's
ALL of these things.

Where Is The Love? No State, No Fanatical Religion Should Play A Role...Real Love Is The Cornerstone In A Marriage

Maybe this will help some comprehend:

CHAIN ON LOVE

A man fell in love with a man
And it seemed it was something good they'd found
But the Mormons over in California they say that it's just sin raining down
'Cause love doesn't know that it's bound

A girl went and fell for a girl
And somewhere in the night where they lay curled up
There's a threat to our family set, they're termites boring holes in the wood
'Cause love doesn't know when it's no good.

And I said someone put a chain on love
'Cause right now there's just far too much of it
And Jesus taught it, but now we've caught it and we won't let it run wild again
'Cause Love doesn't know when it's a sin

A white found her soul in a black
But can't they see how that is an attack
'Cause pretty colors can't love each other, they're crossing all our favorite lines
'Cause love doesn't know that it's not blind

And I said someone put a chain on love
'Cause right now there's just far too much of it
And the former meek they won't turn their cheek they're aiming at the next to come along
'Cause Love doesn't know when it's wrong

And I said someone put a chain on love
'Cause right now there's just far too much of it
And Jesus taught it, but now we've caught it and we wo

I'm not fighting to get married under religious institutions and I don't know anyone in the LGBT community that is. These religious institutions
have a right to marry or not marry if they want but realistically, a priest will not be the one signing the legal documentations that are sent to the
government, it's the couple. There's no need for the ceremony but it would be nice but not mandatory.

I only want to be equal, but I don't march down streets in drags or something, I just tell people that the LGBT isn't there to control or destroy
"the sanctity of marriage", it has nothing to do with that. It's a legal thing, not a religious thing and I could care less about getting married
in a Christian church so I won't be "raping" their religion with my beliefs.

State and religion needs to be separate, and the government needs to stop using the LGBT for political power or dividing its people. I'm willing to
fight and risk my life for freedom and equality for fellow citizens of this country but yet many of them consider me as evil. I think the ones that
actually destroyed religious marriage are the ones that get divorced and has done so a few times. Seriously, these people are complaining that -we-
don't have a right to get married? What about the fact that in the bible it says that you can't get divorced?

I just quickly did a google search and found this:

God hates divorce. (No surprises there, I hope.)
Just two explicit exceptions are offered for when it’s “okay” to divorce. They are sexual unfaithfulness (Matt 5:32) and abandonment by an
unbelieving spouse (1 Cor 7:15). It’s possible that other exceptions exist, but the Bible doesn’t mention any. And yes, we need to look at what
“okay” and “not okay” mean in this context. What’s at stake?
Divorce is only divorce when sexual unfaithfulness is involved. That is, you can get a court to call you divorced, you can call yourself divorced,
but in God’s eyes a couple is only truly “unbound” by two things: death or adultery. Consequently, if a “divorced” person gets remarried,
the Bible calls that adultery (Matt 5:32; 19:9).

After 9-years into this relationship, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be getting a divorce. You never know, but all signs point to no. So does
that make me less evil if I go through life without divorce or am I equal in sin because I'm gay?

Not everything can always work, but we do our best right? This is the entire point... to try and work things out... not always can happen, but we
always try, counselling and things are good, every marriage has its ups and downs.

I really would like to see that changed... it should not be the states business.... for most its a religious matter which is separate from state
completely... and for those who it is not a religious matter do you honestly want a government to dictate to you what is right or wrong?

I would not think so, so ultimately I think this is great for everyone...

Right, the government shouldn't be involved, but they are... That's the reality we live in. The system is rigged to disenfranchise those that haven't
had a legal ceremony. So give consenting adults equal rights... Have something special and religious if your god dictates.

My Religion allows gay marriage, but my government does not. Should one go through a religious marriage with no legal benefit, or go through the
legal hoops of protection first?

I really would like to see that changed... it should not be the states business.... for most its a religious matter which is separate from state
completely... and for those who it is not a religious matter do you honestly want a government to dictate to you what is right or wrong?

I would not think so, so ultimately I think this is great for everyone...

I don't understand your question. It could be meant several ways.

My position is Equal Rights. Our forefathers took Marriage out of the church and made it a government contract.

There is no religion in the government contract. Allowing it for some and not others is discrimination. Simple.

This is what we have RIGHT NOW! This is what needs to be 100% Equal.

Removing government from marriage is a separate issue. It has nothing to do with this subject RIGHT NOW!

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